ABSTRACT
The use of hydrogen peroxide as a delousing agent is described. When lice-infested salmon are exposed for 20 minutes, in an enclosed bath, to a hydrogen peroxide concentration of 1.5 g/l, 85 – 100 % of the adult and preadult lice will be removed. The maximum number of lice fall off within 20 minutes. Hydrogen peroxide is most effective against preadult and adult stages, but also a large number of chalimus have been observed to fall off.
Although hydrogen peroxide is toxic to salmon, and that the toxicity increases with increasing concentration, temperature and exposure time, salmon will survive exposures to concentration of 1.5 g/l, at temperatures up to 18 °C and exposure times less than 30 minutes.
